The Government has been accused by MPs of bowing to “short-term political pressures” by deciding to scrap aid programmes to South Africa and India.

Justine Greening, the International Development Secretary, announced the moves in 2012, just 18 months after ministers set out plans to continue providing aid to the two countries.

The Commons international development select committee condemned the speed of the move which followed mounting criticism by Tory MPs of sending aid to nations with rapidly developing economies.

“We have concerns about the timing of the decisions and, in particular, that they are neither methodical nor transparent, but related to short-term political pressures,” the MPs said in a report published today.

They said they were not convinced Ms Greening had followed Whitehall guidelines over the assessment of aid programmes when she took the decision.

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